The present disclosure concerns dispenser packages. The packages are primarily for products that come in a sheet or film form. The disclosure particularly concerns disposable packages which can be repeatedly opened and closed, during use, as individual sheets or films are dispensed. A particular application is in the area of packages for breath films.
For film or sheet products, such as breath films or other oral care strips, the product packaging preferably serves numerous purposes including:
1. securely containing and protecting the product during shipping and handling;
2. displaying the product at the point of purchase;
3. containing and protecting unused product during repeated opening and closing, i.e., as individual films are dispensed and used;
4. convenient fit in a pocket or purse; and
5. tamper evidence indication.
One example of current oral care strip product available on the market is the xe2x80x9cCool Mint Listerine PocketPaksxe2x80x9d product available from Warner-Lambert Consumer Health Care, Morris Plains, N.J. The product packaging for this product involves a cardboard or paperboard slipcover (about 3 and ⅝ inches by about 3 inches) having enclosed therein and removable there from, another cardboard or paperboard piece (about 3 and xe2x85x9c inches by about 2 and {fraction (15/16)} inches) having a blister pack attached thereto. After the second piece is removed from the slipcover, it is torn open by removal of a panel (about 1 and {fraction (5/16)} inches by about 1 and xe2x85x9e inches) in the cardboard or paperboard packing. Underneath the removable panel, a barrier film or metallized sheet is encountered which, once torn open or removed, allows access to inside of the blister pack. Contained within the blister pack is a plastic dispenser (about 1 and xe2x85x9 inches by about 1 and xe2x85x9e inches) which can be removed. The remainder of the package is discarded. The dispenser has a hinged panel selectively opened (and reclosed) with a tab, that allows access to internally received oral care strips.
In general, improvement in such packaging is desirable.
According to the present disclosure a package arrangement is provided which includes a receptacle and backing construction. In general the receptacle has an outer peripheral rim thereon, and the backing construction comprises a flexible film having releasable pressure sensitive adhesive on a first side thereof. In general, the backing construction is secured to the receptacle, by contact between the pressure sensitive adhesive in the outer peripheral rim. Products such as sheet materials are typically stored within the receptacle, and are covered by the backing construction.
The backing construction includes an openable and recloseable hinge cover portion therein. The hinge cover portion is generally formed by cuts or die cuts through the flexible film. The die cuts are generally parallel to one another in preferred embodiments, to form a flexible openable and recloseable cover in the backing construction. In preferred embodiments the cuts terminate in curved stops, to facilitate the opening/closing operation without undesirable tearing of the hinge cover portion from a remainder of the backing construction.
In a preferred embodiment a removable reinforced header portion is provided in the packet, which header portion is typically torn from the remainder of the package prior to opening of the package. Inp preferred arrangements, the header portion comprises a relatively rigid piece of cardboard or plastic, secured to a portion of the backing construction. In some embodiments a tamper evident strip is positioned between the header and the outer peripheral rim on the receptacle, to provide security.
According to the present disclosure a method is provided of dispensing articles from a package. In general the method involves opening and reclosing a package generally as characterized above.
Also according to the disclosure methods of assembly are provided, generally involving assembling the parts characterized above, in a preferred and operational manner.